BLADES on the first of 116 turbines have this week begun turning at e.on’s Rampion offshore windfarm located in the English Channel between eight and
16 miles off seaside towns Brighton and Worthing..
The £1.3-billion
project has been named after the round-headed rampion which is the county
flower of Sussex.
Round-headed rampion |
However, once cable-laying
has been completed, the trenches will be filled and the land restored to its
former state.
Prior to
being given the go-ahead an ornithological impact assessment was undertaken on
behalf of the developer by a leading UK consultancy, Cheshire-based RSK.
The survey is described as “worst case scenario” to
account for any uncertainties in the project design and to ensure that the
magnitude of all impacts is “not underestimated”.
The report lists
the main potential ornithological impacts as:
- Disturbance and displacement of birds from the wind farm site and its surrounds
- Mortality through collision with the wind turbines, a barrier effect (such that bird flight routes are diverted around the wind farm site)
- Changes to the birds’ habitat/food supply
It states
that disturbance of birds could occur up to 4km from the wind turbines during
the construction and operational phases and that construction activities (e.g.
piling and an increase in boat traffic) will result in noise and vibration
which has the potential to disturb and displace bird species.
It further
notes that presence of plant and personnel on site may also cause localised
disturbance throughout construction.
“In all
cases, such disturbance impacts are likely to be temporary and exist only when
vessels are on site and/or particular construction activities are being
undertaken.
“Therefore,
birds may readily redistribute in periods of less intense or no activity during
the construction period.”
The
document continues: “Construction would not take place simultaneously over the
whole site and therefore impacts would not be expected to occur over the whole
of the project site over the whole of the construction period.
“Rather
they would be more restricted to smaller areas of activity at any particular
time.”
The survey
does not seek to address any potential impact on night-migrating songbirds and
other passerines but focuses on the
following maritime species thought to be most at potential risk.
Gannet
There is a
potential ecological link to the Alderney West Coast and the Burhou Islands
site (where there is a breeding colony of 5,950 pairs). Given low
numbers within the site and a buffer of up to 4km - any temporary loss of a
very small part of that range would be of negligible magnitude and not
significant.
Sandwich Tern
This is a
qualifying species of both the Solent Marshes and Southampton Water Special
Protection Area and the Chichester and Langston Harbours Special Protection Area. The proposed
project site lies beyond the usual foraging range of both of these sites. As a
result any disturbance effect during construction would be of negligible
magnitude and not significant.
Common Tern
Ditto Sandwich Tern
Arctic Tern
Most
records of this Annex 1 species were from a single survey in May, 2010, when a
higher number of migrants passing through the survey area were observed
(sufficient to be considered regionally important). Apart from this however,
use of the survey area by this species was very low. Any disturbance effect
during construction would be of negligible magnitude and not significant.
Kittiwake
Present in
the survey area in regionally important numbers. Given that it has such a wide
foraging range, the temporary loss of a small part of that range would be of
negligible magnitude and not significant, even if there were displacement over
a zone of up to 4km of any construction activity.
Guillemot
Present in
the survey area in nationally important
numbers but
is not clearly linked to any specific Special Protection Area.Peak numbers were
recorded during late winter/spring with fewer during the summer and autumn. The
potential impact zone relating to construction disturbance (the wind turbine
locations plus up to a 4km buffer) held densities slightly higher than the
wider study area, with no
indication
that any part of that zone was of particular importance to this species. Given
this and considering that it has a wide foraging range the temporary loss of a
very small part of that range would be of negligible magnitude and not
significant, even if there were displacement over a 2km zone
during
construction.
Razorbill
Ditto
Guillemot
Little Gull
Mostly a
spring migrant through the survey area, with peak counts in April each year The
peak count (168) was sufficient to be classed as regionally important, and this
species is listed on Annex 1 of the EU Birds Directive.
Most
individuals were recorded in the more inshore parts of the survey area and in
the eastern part. Any disturbance effect during construction would be of
negligible magnitude
and not
significant.
Red-throated Diver
There were
no records of this Annex 1 species within 2km of the wind farm site and a peak
of only 13 within 4km, Given such low
numbers and infrequent occurrence, any disturbance effect during construction
would be of negligible magnitude and not significant.
Great Skua
This
species was recorded in regionally important numbers and was widely scattered
across most of the survey area, though with more records in the southern part
of the survey area in the deeper waters further from the shore. Densities
within the potential disturbance zone around the project site were generally
lower than in the wider survey area. Any disturbance effect during construction
would be of negligible magnitude and not significant.
Great Black-backed Gull
The peak
number of this species recorded in the survey
area
(4,473) was sufficient to be classed as nationally important. It was widespread
across all of the survey area, Given that it has such a wide foraging range the
temporary loss of a small part of that range would be of negligible magnitude
and not significant, even if there were displacement in a zone of up to 4km
around any construction activity.
Common Scoter
Recorded in
regionally important numbers within
the survey
area, mainly during spring. None was seen within 2km of the project site and
only very low densities within 4km. Any
disturbance effect on this species during construction would be of negligible
magnitude and not
significant.
Fulmar
Widespread
across the whole survey area, and was recorded in regionally important numbers.
Densities were similar across the potential disturbance zone and the wider area
though numbers were higher in the deeper water to the south of the project
site. Any disturbance effect
during
construction would be of negligible magnitude and not significant.
Wind speeds
are lower than off the Scottish and Welsh Coasts, but, once fully operational,
Rampion is projected to generate sufficient electricity to power 346,000 homes.- about half the total number in Sussex.
*Photo of round-headed campion: Courtesy of Hetonichus via Wikimedia Commons
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